Inspiron 3020, unmatched retail ram replacement

For starters, run CPU-Z (free) and compare the specs for the two RAM modules (rated speed, latency etc,) and see what speed RAM is running at now. Inspiron 3020 uses RAM up to 3200 MHz.  

Also check in CPU-Z to see if PC is running in single or dual channel mode ("Channel #"). Dual channel is faster than single channel but typically requires a matched pair of RAM modules...

Do you still have the same CPU, GPU, drives, etc now as you had previously? Is your C: boot drive  an NVME SSD or a SATA HDD?

Also click Start>Run>msinfo32.exe and press OK. When that opens, click Summary at top left and scroll down right panel to check how much physical RAM is installed, how much physical RAM is available, etc.

Also see what BIOS version is reported by msinfo32.exe. BIOS 1.12.0 is the latest version.

Open Task Manager and on Processes tab, see what process(s) may be hogging CPU time, disk use, and/or RAM.

@RoHe​ Hi, thank you for that. I have now run CPU-Z

The Crucial ram I bought was 3200, this replacement ram is 3200 running at 1600.

Dell replaced the CPU as well as the motherboard. The drives are the same.

One is

2x 16GB DIMM DDR4 3.23GHz 128-bit

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Samsung M378A2G43BB3-CWE 16GB DIMM DDR4 1Rx8 PC4-25600U DDR4-3490 (22-22-22-51 4-73-24-4)
Memory Module : SK Hynix HMAA2GU6CJR8N-XN 16GB DIMM DDR4 1Rx8 PC4-25600U DDR4-3490 (22-22-22-51 4-73-24-4)

Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 32.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 31.7 GB
Available Physical Memory 16.1 GB

Storage Devices
Disk : Seagate ST2000DM008-2UB102 (2TB, SATA600, 3.5", 7200rpm)
Disk : 670p SSDPEKNU512GZ NVMe INTEL 512GB (512.1GB, PCIe3x4/NVMe)

Logical Storage Devices
OS (C:) : 2TB (NTFS, 4kB) @ Seagate ST2000DM008-2UB102 (2TB, SATA600, 3.5", 7200rpm)

BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. 1.12.0, 30/01/2024

Does that help?

Thank you for your guidance , just not sure what this all tells me.

Your OS C:  drive is listed as a 2TB Seagate HDD. That's NOT right. Windows should be on the 512GB Intel NVME SSD.  That alone could explain why things are slow. Did they reinstall Windows when you sent it for repairs, or has it always been this way? The 2T Seagate HDD should be your D: Data drive for storage.

You have to multiply the speed shown in CPU-Z by 2 because it's DDR RAM. So if CPU-Z says DRAM Frequency is 1600, then RAM is running at 3200 MHz. 

What does CPU-Z list as Channel # on its Memory tab? It may say Single or Dual, or list a certain number (depending version of CPU-Z and type of RAM)?

Is the replacement CPU exactly the same 13th Gen Intel Core i3, i5, or i7 that originally came with your system? 

Did you have an add-in video card (which one?) and is it installed on the new motherboard?  If you have an add-in video card, is the monitor connected to that card, not to either of the onboard Intel Graphics ports (HDMI and DP)?

msinfo32.exe says 32 GB of RAM is installed, but only 16.1 GB is available. That's a 50% drop in available RAM. Were some major apps (video editor, multiple browser windows etc) running when you ran msinfo32? 

Did you look on Task Manager's Processes tab to see where so much RAM is being used?  With only things running that normally load automatically when booting, recheck available RAM in msinfo32, Then leave msinfo32 open, and look on Processes tab for the memory hog(s), assuming only ~50% of RAM is available according to msinfo32.

Any signs the CPU is overheating and its speed being throttled to prevent a burn-out?  You can install a free app such as Speccy, HWMonitor, etc to monitor temps. Some of them can be configured to load when Windows boots, and put an icon on the taskbar showing temps...

@RoHe​

@RoHe​ Hi, thanks for that.

The memory available now says 23gb, and task manager says 30% is being used, and that is with browsers closed, a vpn using 68mb, and Dell's stuff.

CPU-Z says memory #64.

I thought it was strange that the OS was on the 2tb, thank you for confirming that is wrong, will Dell move it over, do you know?

And good to know that may be why things load so slowly, I have waited 30 seconds for a browser to open, though it seemed quicker with the 32gb of ram, as the 16 was constantly maxed out, and the hard drive was running at 100% quite often as well. I waatched under the processes tab on task manager, trying to figure it out.

The system came with an nVidia RTX 3060 GPU, that is the same as was original.

The CPU is an i7-13700, which I believe is the same as orginal.

I will install and run HWMonitor, thanks for the reminder, I used to run that a few years ago on a different PC.

It says the GPU is 50C, the CPU 43C, the 2TB 37, and the SSD is 25C.

Thanks again, so much help!

Is this a 3020 Desktop or a 3020 Small Desktop?

What "Dell stuff" is running? You probably don't want/need any of it, eg, SupportAssist, Dell Update, MyDell, and especially not (Dell) SmartByte. They hog resources and slow things down.  Either uninstall them or -at the least- disable them so they can't load during normal boot (on Startup tab in Task Manager).

Next, click Start>Run>(type in) services.msc and click OK. When services.msc opens, find every Killer service (and xTend services, if any). Double-click each one and change its Startup Type to disabled.  When all are disabled, close services.msc and reboot.  Internet speeds may be faster when SmartByte software and Killer (xTend) services are all disabled.

Where does CPU-Z say "#64"?  Is that Channel #?  Channel # should say "Dual" or "2x64" if RAM is running in Dual Channel Mode.  Otherwise, it will say "Single" channel mode or 1x64, which might not be surprising since you have a mis-matched pair of RAM modules.

Is PC still under warranty? If so, you could contact Dell Tech Support and ask what they're going to do to help since they installed the OS on the wrong drive.  Most likely they'll just say you're on your own to do a clean install on the SSD, which is a waste of your time...

Before you start doing anything yourself about getting Windows onto the SSD, reboot and tap F2 when you see the Dell splash screen to open BIOS setup. See what's first in the boot sequence, Windows Boot Manager or something else, but don't change it.  Then see how the SATA Operation setting is set, RAID or AHCI, but do not change that setting. Just exit BIOS setup without saving any changes. PC will boot automatically to desktop. 

If SATA Operation is set to RAID, you'll need to change that before putting Windows on the SSD. This has to be done correctly or PC will be unbootable:

1. Open Cmd Prompt window, Run as administrator.
2. Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Safe Mode the next time you boot: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal and press Enter
3. Restart the computer and enter BIOS setup.
4. Change SATA Operation from RAID to AHCI.
5. Save the change and exit Setup. Windows will automatically boot in Safe Mode.
6. Open Cmd prompt again, as in step #1.
7. Copy-paste this command, which will start Windows in Normal Mode the next time you boot: bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot and press Enter
8. Reboot and Windows will automatically start with AHCI drivers enabled.
9. Confirm everything is working ok (aside from any preexisting issues).

If any of your files are currently stored on the 512GB SSD, back them up on external media (eg, USB HDD) before going further. You'll lose everything that's on the SSD when you install Windows on it. Also back up any personal files on the 2T HDD too, to be safe. 

The easiest way to move Windows onto the SSD would be to image the current 2T boot drive, and the copy the image onto the SSD. That way you shouldn't have to re-install all your apps. You need imaging software to do this. Macrium Reflect is good and free for 30 days, and there are other free and paid imaging apps.

Use the imaging software to create an image containing all partitions on the 2T HDD, and save it on external media. At least with Macrium, select the option to validate the image as soon as it's created.  Macrium can also be set to use maximum compression to save space on the external drive, but that means it will take somewhat longer to complete.

Once you have the validated image stored on an external drive, use the imaging app to create a bootable USB stick that you'll need to move the image onto the SSD. 

Before you copy the image from external drive onto the SSD, open PC and disconnect the 2T HDD from the motherboard. (You don't have to remove the drive.) With still power off, plug the (Macrium) USB stick into PC. Power on and tap F12 to open the menu. Select option to boot from USB. When the app opens, use it to copy the entire image onto the SSD (EVERYTHING WILL BE DELETED from the SSD!). 

Reboot when it's done and PC should boot from the SSD.  NOTE: If Windows Boot Manager wasn't first in Boot Sequence when you looked, you'll have to open BIOS setup and make Windows Boot Manager first.

After PC boots from the SSD (new C: drive), confirm everything is working correctly. Then shutdown normally in Windows, and reconnect the 2T HDD to motherboard.  This time you'll have to boot from SSD via the F12 menu. If you boot "normally", it will just boot from the 2T HDD, not from the SSD.

After PC boots from the SSD, use Windows Disk Management to initialize the 2T HDD (EVERYTHING WILL BE DELETED!). When that's done, reboot normally and it should boot from SSD and 2T drive (now D: drive) should be available for routine storage. 

Now copy any personal files you had on the SSD onto the 2T HDD. Note that personal files that were originally on the 2T HDD would have been copied onto the SSD as part of the image. So move them off the SSD onto the HDD. 

Last steps would be to configure your apps to save their output on the 2T D: drive, not on the SSD. And you probably will want to configure Windows so its default folders are moved onto the 2T drive too.

@RoHe​ First, the easy-CPU-Z under 'Memory' says Channel # 2x 64bit. I thought you had asked that question above. Sorry if I confused things and got it wrong.

It is an Inspiron 3020 Desktop. Product ID 00325-80000-00000-AAOEMI have run services and disable all the Dell programs.

And I will move the OS over to the 512, but I think that is a job for tomorrow, and not tonight. I have used Macrium in the past, and i have another program on the last PC I will look for that does similar, I believe it is Aomei.

Thank you, I will let you know how it goes.

Ok, 2x 64 bit means it's running in dual channel mode, which is good. 

Did you disable all the Killer (and xTend) services in services.msc too?

I've seen threads on this forum where drive images made on Dell PCs with Aomei fail. So I'd be cautious about using that one.  If you use Aomei, be sure to confirm the Aomei image you copy onto the 512 GB SSD actually boots the PC and everything works properly, before you go further.  And FWIW, users who had failed Aomei images and started over using Macrium got it done without issues.

Lots of steps, so take your time to do things carefully and you shouldn't have any problems...

@RoHe​ Thanks for that, I was about to start, but I will switch to Macrium.

All the Dell services are disabled, I could not see any Killer or x Tend services.

Hope this all goes well, I will keep this thread open on the other pc and follow it.

Regards

So I guess you have a different brand WiFi card, rather than a Killer card... No great loss.

Good luck with this effort. Don't be shy about asking more questions, if you have any...

@RoHe​ Thank yoiu, I will.

And it appears that my wifi is RealtekRTL8852BE.